LOS ANGELES -- Like many in Southern California, I grew up eating guacamole the way it is made almost everywhere in the United States, from Tex-Mex joints to West Coast margarita houses. The basic ingredients of avocado, tomato, onion and lime juice have defined the Mexican American style. Chile and garlic are also present in most cases but (in ...Read more

Looking for Valentine’s Day dinner plans?

Waffle House is inviting customers to celebrate the sweet occasion — but you’ll need to book a table.

The Atlanta-based diner is taking reservations at more than 200 locations nationwide, according to the restaurant’s website.

Customers are encouraged to call between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to ...Read more

These mini chocolate tarts make for the perfect afternoon baking project. Use the microwave to easily melt chocolate and coconut milk into a simple ganache filling. Top it off with a ripe raspberry or switch up fruit for variety.

Mini Vegan Chocolate Tarts

Makes 15 tarts

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

1 (2-ounce) ...Read more

We all know fruits and veggies are “good” for us. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control only about 10% to 20% of Americans eat the daily recommended amount of two to three cups of veggies and one and a half cups of fruits each day.

Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, which aids digestive health, can help reduce the risk...Read more

The late author Nora Ephron had it right when she said that the ultimate comfort food is potatoes. In her case, it was mashed potatoes. For me I’m a lover of potato casseroles. I find this variation on potatoes gratin my antidote to tough times and freezing weather. It’s a taste memory that never gets old.

This casserole features sliced ...Read more

Giant, larger-than-life beans make beautiful entree offerings. Turning those beans into a hearty main course, flavored with pork and colorful vegetables, brightens up dinner.

The Royal Corona white bean is super fat and buttery, measuring nearly two inches in length when cooked. Same for the giant white lima beans, Christmas lima beans, ayocote...Read more

I love a simple salad with a bright and flavor-packed vinaigrette. For me, this miso lime vinaigrette makes any salad taste extra special. Not only can you whip it up in just under 10 minutes, but it’s also filled with bright lime flavor, subtle hints of garlic, and a warm, spicy kick from the fresh ginger.

Miso is the star of the show here. ...Read more

When my winter hibernation mode really sets in, I want my meals to be cozy and comfortable, but I also want them to be easy. That’s where this soup comes swooping in to save the weeknight with a sheet pan and a blender.

Instead of dicing all your vegetables nice and small, sweating them in a pot, and stirring over the stove, this recipe lets ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — As a founder of Della Terra Italian restaurant and Burghers Brewing Co., Fiore Moletz has always focused on running sustainable businesses. Burghers Brewing has earned a platinum designation from the nonprofit Sustainable Pittsburgh; Della Terra has a gold designation.

"It's always been something that we held close to our hearts ...Read more

Younger me was a dreamer of big things.

And amid those that involved world travel, an esteemed career and enviable, incandescent romance, one was pervasive — in particular as I trudged, leash in hand, through the unglamorous gray slush of Jersey City in January, with dawn’s first light creating a similarly steely sky overhead.

One day, I ...Read more

This hearty one-pot soup is one to put on speed dial in your winter kitchen.

Chock-full of vegetables, it’s flexible and accommodating, just right for swapping in whatever you happen to have in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to sizzle in a little sausage for more flavor and depth, but it’s just as good without. As it simmers, the ...Read more

Stir-fry some shrimp with hot pepper sauce, garlic, and ginger for a succulent, quick dinner.

Buy bag of frozen shrimp, wild caught, and keep on hand. Look for sales and keep some on hand for quick meals. It saves time and money running to the store.

Sesame noodles with snow peas complete the meal. Fresh snow peas add a crisp texture to the ...Read more

Anyone that’s scrolled though social media channels in the last year will have caught influencers breaking into hefty blue-and-yellow-splattered milk chocolate bars packed with gooey neon green pistachio-tahini paste mixed with crispy kataifi (a finely shredded type of phyllo, popular in Middle Eastern sweets). The viral “Dubai chocolate bar...Read more

Jim Richards doesn’t look like a mad scientist and his plant-based milk made from macadamia nuts tastes delicious. Yet his carefully crafted product is one of many in the grocery store that can fall under the dubious heading of “ultraprocessed.”

Richards calls it “Milkadamia,” and his Rolling Meadows-based company makes the drink by ...Read more

Swapping in tender-crisp cauliflower slices for chips in these cauliflower nachos ups your veggie servings for the day. Enjoy this hearty spread for dinner or for an appetizer at your next gathering.

Cauliflower Chicken Nachos

Serves 4

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or avocado oil

3/4 teaspoon ...Read more

Q: Can foods have negative calories?

A: The concept of “negative calorie” foods suggests that certain foods require more energy to digest than they provide, resulting in a net calorie loss. While this idea is appealing for weight loss, it’s a bit of a myth.

Certain low-calorie foods, such as celery, cucumbers, and lettuce, are often ...Read more

I am always looking for desserts that satisfy my sweet tooth but are not too rich. This Seriously Simple old-fashioned but classic recipe for baked apples fits the bill.

You just need to decide what apple variety you want to use, have some maple syrup and cinnamon on hand, and you’re in business. Depending upon your taste preferences, you ...Read more

We bring home chocolate in beautifully wrapped bars, tins of bonbons, and bottles of sauce from nearly every vacation. Notes of our favorite chocolate dessert indulgences pepper our travel journals.

The steaming cup of hot chocolate at LHardy, a stunning restaurant in Madrid dating back to 1839, made us swoon. We sat at the marble counter while...Read more

Brownies ​​are one of the most beloved Valentine’s Day treats because they satisfy everyone’s hankering for chocolate, you can whip them up in under an hour, and you can adjust the ingredients for any number of crowds (hello, paleo ...Read more